The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

This counting book shows different chickens doing diverse dances until they reach the number ten. Things come to a halt, however, when the author addresses the reader by pointing out that one chicken is not cooperating: the reader. Encouraged to make music with a comb kazoo, the author suggests the reader start dancing the night away. Though the dances shown are varied and fun, they may not all be familiar to children. Long’s pictures are surprisingly washed-out-looking even though he uses a wide palette of colors. However, the backgrounds are painted in such drab colors that the more vibrantly colored pictures of the chickens dancing are somehow lost on the page. The author’s rhymes will probably succeed better as a read-aloud, allowing for an active story time. Not one of the more necessary counting books available, it’s a bit of a disappointment. (Picture book. 2-4)

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